Which PJ1 for Exhaust Header

Hey fella's I am relifing my 78 KZ1000 aand I am running an Old School Denco with a newer reverse cone muffler, i used VHT Hi Temp Black for the header and it burned off at the curves on first run. It was suggested I use PJ1 but there are literally 10 different options. Has anyone used this and is exhaust primer beneficial? thanks oh heres the pipe.

PJ1 is not the paint it used to be, formula has changed. I use simonez tough paint satin black these days. Its way better than the new pj1.
once it's had a heat cycle its fuel proof also.

I used VHT flameproof for my exhaust, it's been durable - I did a couple primer coats and three color coats, then baked in my oven for the recommended heat cycles. I also had my pipes sandblasted first, so maybe yours needed to be roughed up a bit more?

My only negative about the VHT so far is that it isn't gloss. 

PJ1. Pooh Pooh!

I can’t speak to the paint to use, but I have a denco and the steel is very rough. I’d say your problem is more in surface prep then the paint. I was considering Jet Hot for mine.

FWIW.  I sprayed the crossover section of a stock chrome muffler system w Rustoleum ultra high heat silver barbeque grill paint & it has held up well.  There was minor rust which was removed w fine/soft jewelers brass wheels.  I did not roughen the chrome or anything & was expecting some of the paint to flake or peel off, but it has remained intact. kind of surprising.  Prior to painting I cleaned the surfaces w denatured alcohol & then wiped everything w a tack cloth.

The manifold section probably doesn't get as hot as the headers, so maybe the HT rustoleum won't hold up as well there.









ps:  I also cleaned the insides & sprayed the paint in there.  

I have a denco left hand side on my 650 and have great luck with VHT.  Though I did not media blast it the last time I painted (4 years ago) I have sand blasted it in the past. The last time I used sand paper and grinder wheel on a drill and steal wool to bare metal. I wanted to look for pin holes after all it was at that time about 40 years old, and found none. I did not prime it but did put several light coats of VHT on it and then (shmbo no knowledge) ran low heat in the over to heat cycle it. I did clean the oven afterwards.  The exhaust and the oven have both  held up well. I can not find a pic of the pipe off the bike, but you can see it in the link in my signature. 

Like with most painting the prep is most important. Did you take it to bare metal, remove all signs of any rust or old paint?  Did you heat cycle it other than going for a ride?

Looks really nice Martin 

wrote:

I can’t speak to the paint to use, but I have a denco and the steel is very rough. I’d say your problem is more in surface prep then the paint. I was considering Jet Hot for mine.

 

I called the nearest (not exactly "local") Jet Hot shop and they quoted me $400+ to do the one-piece exhaust for a single-cylinder 4-stroke dual-purpose bike.

Instead I went to a local coating shop: they media-blasted the pipe and gave it a satin black ceramic coating for a little under $200.

wrote:

wrote:

I can’t speak to the paint to use, but I have a denco and the steel is very rough. I’d say your problem is more in surface prep then the paint. I was considering Jet Hot for mine.


 

I called the nearest (not exactly "local") Jet Hot shop and they quoted me $400+ to do the one-piece exhaust for a single-cylinder 4-stroke dual-purpose bike.

Instead I went to a local coating shop: they media-blasted the pipe and gave it a satin black ceramic coating for a little under $200.

I hadn’t looked into pricing. That savings is worth looking into. I had 4-1 ceramic coated at a local powder coat place. But they have yet to be used so I don’t know about the durability.

wrote:

I hadn’t looked into pricing. That savings is worth looking into. I had 4-1 ceramic coated at a local powder coat place. But they have yet to be used so I don’t know about the durability.
 

I haven't used mine yet, either - hope it holds up, but it's got to be better than the paint the PO put on there.

Oh, forgot to mention that the price included blasting/coating of two heat shields to go along with the pipe. The same shop powder coated a set of wheels for me, too, so I guess they're my go-to at this point.